How I Met Your Mother Renewed for Season 9

Kids, sorry I didn't warn you upfront this story would take NINE YEARS.

By Eric Goldman

Not so fast, Ted Mosby. The love of your life is probably another year and a half away...

Deadline is reporting that after intense negotiations between CBS, the show's studio, 20th Century Fox, and the stars, How I Met Your Mother will indeed be returning for Season 9.

It had previously been reported that Jason Segel was the most reluctant to return for another season, and with everyone’s contract up, Deadline says the actor was initially intent on not signing for another year. Creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays had said they would not continue the show without the entire cast and Deadline says, that being the case, “The show was literally dead” until Segel had a last minute change of heart and agreed to sign for one more year, along with his costars, Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan, for what Deadline is calling the final season.

Bays and Carter had been quite vocal about the fact that they were at a cutoff point as far as having to know whether this was the final season or not - Given the ongoing storylines of How I Met Your Mother, they needed to know if they were about to go into production on the very last episodes or not, in the latter half of Season 8. Meanwhile, CBS had made it clear they wanted the show to come back, but the key was securing the cast for a new deal. As Deadline notes, CBS was extra keen to close deals on How I Met Your Mother – still a big hit for them – given that they also have to go through contract re-negotiations on Two and a Half Men soon.

As Deadline notes, CBS, 20th Century Fox and the cast are currently keeping quiet on the new deal – likely having intended to announce it next month at the TCA press tour. It remains to be seen if they will indeed say upfront that Season 9 is absolutely the final one, though Carter and Bays had also said in recent interviews that should the show return, it would be for just one additional year.

Though damn, Ted, that is one long ass story you’re telling your kids…

(And yep, this solidly puts any "Maybe Cobie Smulders can jump into S.H.I.E.L.D. next fall" thoughts to rest).